Vandals, a race of European barbarians who contributed very largely to the overthrow of the Roman empire. They made their first appearance as an historic people in the 26. century A. D., and in the first part of the 5th century, in company with the Suevi, Alani and other German tribes, invaded Gaul and ravaged and wasted it for three or more years. In 429 they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, 50,000 to 80,000 strong under their leader Genseric, and carried devastation and ruin over northern Africa from the shores of the Atlantic to the frontiers of Cyrene. In 439 Genseric broke the peace which he had concluded with Valentinian III and conquered Carthage, when a new peace was concluded which recognized the authority of the Vandals over northern Africa and also over Sardinia, Corsica and part of Italy. In 455 the Vandals captured Rome and plundered it for several days. The manner in which they mutilated and destroyed the works of art collected in the city has caused the term vandalism to be applied to all similar acts of barbarity. After the death of Genseric his son, Hunneric, cruelly persecuted the orthodox Christians and kept the Mediterranean in almost constant alarm by his piracies. The Vandals continued to occupy northern Africa until 533, when the emperor, Justinian, sent an expedition against them under the great general, Belisarius, with the result that they were completely conquered, and their chieftain, Gelimer, was captured and carried to Constantinople in triumph. Most of the Vandals were then drafted into the Roman army and "used up" in the wars with Persia, the few who remained in Africa rapidly disappearing among the natives.
Van′derbilt, Cornelius (commonly called Commodore Vanderbilt), was born on Staten Island, N. Y., May 27, 1794. At the early age of 16 he showed signs of his genius and enterprise by running a boat of his own between New York and the island, and at 23 had accumulated nearly $10,000. In the year 1817 he associated himself with Thomas Gibbons in running the first steamer between New York and New Brunswick, N. J., serving as captain for several years. In 1829 he withdrew from the management of Gibbons' steamers, and for more than 20 years afterward built and operated steamers of his own from New York to various points, all of which proved very profitable. In 1851 he established a line from New York to San Francisco, which he sold to a company of which he himself became president two years later. During the Civil War he presented the government with his finest steamship, The Vanderbilt, which cost nearly $1,000,000, and about the close of the war withdrew his capital—amounting to many millions—from steamships and invested it in the stock of various railroads. He soon had control of the New York Central, the Harlem, the Erie and other roads, all of which he conducted with consummate ability and made more and more profitable. In 1873 he gave $1,000,000 to the endowment of Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Tenn., for the education of southern youth. He died at his home in New York, Jan. 4, 1877, having bequeathed the bulk of his estate to his son, William H. Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt University, a coeducational institution founded in 1872 at Nashville, Tenn., as the Central University of the M. E. Church South, the name being changed to its present one in the following year, in honor of Cornelius Vanderbilt's gift of a million dollars to it, since supplemented by other monetary donations from members of the Vanderbilt family and by contributions from the Nashville citizens. It has a fine equipment in buildings, laboratories etc., besides college-grounds 75 acres in extent. The university prepares for the bachelor's degree in arts, divinity, law, engineering and science; for the M. A. degree in arts, science and pharmacy; and for the doctor's degree in philosophy, science and medical and dental surgery; besides courses with degrees in civil, mechanical and mining engineering. Its teaching staff, with the faculty, numbers 125; while in 1910 it had an attendance of 985 students.
Vanderlyn (vǎn′dẽr-lĭn), John, an "American painter, was born at Kingston, N. Y., Oct. 15, 1776, and, after taking lessons in painting from Gilbert Stuart, visited Paris at the age of 20 and studied his art in that city for a number of years. He returned home in 1801, but in 1803 made another journey to Europe, where he remained till 1815. Among his works executed while in Europe were The Murder of Jane McCrea by the Indians and Marius sitting among the Ruins of Carthage. His Landing of Columbus can be seen in the rotunda of the national capitol, and his portrait of Washington in the hall of the house of representatives. He died at Kingston, N. Y., Sept. 23, 1852.
Van Die′men's Land. See Tasman′ia.
SIR ANTHONY VAN DYKE
Van Dyke or Van Dyck, Sir Anthony, was born at Antwerp, March 22, 1599. It is said that his talent for painting was fostered by his mother, who painted landscapes and was highly
